Heartless
by IHateYouToTheMoonAndBack
Summary: Organized crime is at an all-time high as the elite crime ring, MAD, causes panic all over the city. Luckily, a group of brave vigilantes is here to take down the evil crime syndicate, and MAD will do anything to take them down. A MAD agent is sent undercover to infiltrate the vigilante group, but he soon finds that things are worse than they appear. Aged up characters! VigilanteAU
1. Heartless

Heartless

 _"Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love._

 _It did not end well." -Laini Taylor_

Okay, look. I don't write full stories. I am a university student and I have five essays and tests to do by the end of the month. Two of those tests are on the same fucking day and worth fucking 30% of my grade. I don't want to write a long ass plot filled story, especially not now when I have so much shit to do. And I am planning a Mystic Messenger story (or at least I want to plan one). But I already created a bunch of vigilante aesthetics and an entire fucking playlist for this and I will be damned if I don't at least try to write a fucking stupid vigilante story. So here it is.

 **Synopsis** : Nobody feels safe in a city where organized crime is at an all-time high. The police are completely useless in preventing the elite crime ring, MAD, from causing havoc all over the city. Luckily, a group of brave fighters are here to take down the organized crime in the city, and MAD will do anything to take them down. Enter Talon, the nephew of MAD's leader, Doctor Claw. He has been assigned to infiltrate and sabotage these vigilantes. But then he learns of a mysterious and dangerous drug that recently turned up on the market, a drug that could be a lot more sinister than anyone is letting on.

 **Warning**! There will be drugs. Don't do drugs, kids! And there will be violence, mild gore, maybe some character death? Idk. Everyone is like nineteen/twenty in this because I don't feel comfortable writing about a bunch of children handling weapons, and so that I can add sexual stuff. For now, everything has a T rating, but that's going to most likely be changing.

 **-Enjoy-**

The alleyway was dark, and he could see nothing but the apparitions of the faceless as they walked the busy city streets. The sun had set hours ago, and the moon hovered over the city, a luminescent ball emitting just enough glow to fill the darkness. There were no stars that he could see. No constellations he could fathom. There was nothing but the inky black of an infinite sky. He sat, crouched down in the rat-infested alleyway like a cat waiting for a mouse. Quiet and still, a shadow in the night. He was waiting. Waiting for a signal, a chance to pounce. The red light district was not a place he was familiar with and not a place he wanted to go ever again. Broken beer bottles and cigarette butts littered the streets, neon signs blinked in the dark of night, ladies of the night stood at the corners in seven-inch heels. He couldn't wait to get out of this damn dirty place.

He heard the clatter of glass breaking in the distance, and the revving of a motor as a bike sped down the alleyway, skidding to a stop a few feet from his hiding spot. The smell of exhaust filled his senses, the scent always brought thoughts of adrenaline. But now wasn't the time to hijack a Harley for a joyride around the city. He watched the tall figure on the motorbike, a man with a large build and a balding head. The sound of his heavy boots echoed on the concrete as he walked by. He leaned against one of the brick walls, pulling a pack of Marlboros out of his pocket. He lit the cigarette, the smoke danced around his head in the cold night air. A few minutes later, a second bike could be heard, speeding into the alleyway, stopping just inches from the brick wall. A second shadow, a shorter man with a mullet and the worst body odor one has ever had the displeasure of smelling, hopped off the bike. The first man tossed his cigarette to the ground and greeted the second man. It was then that the crouching boy noticed the large duffel bag the bald guy had. A drug deal. The young man smirked, now he just had to wait.

"Do you have the money from last time?" Baldy asked mullet. He had a deep, throaty voice, probably obtained from all those cigarettes.

"I got half." Mullet replied. His voice was significantly higher, enough to break a window.

Baldy grumbled and shoved the short man against the brick wall.

"You haven't paid up in almost two months," Baldy poked at him threateningly. "You get me my money, you know what boss man does to people who don't pay up?"

Mullet guy put up his hands in surrender.

"Hey, man, you know I'm in debt." Mullet spat.

The young man wanted to smile. Didn't he know how drug dealers felt about people in debt? The less money you had, the less you buy. There was really no reason to sell to people in debt other than seeing them struggling. Especially after getting them hooked on that premium stuff. It was fucked up, but so was the world. If the two men hadn't been so engrossed in their argument, they would have heard the revving of a third motor in the distance. A smile grew on the young man's face. They were on their way. The noise grew louder, and a third bike appeared in the alleyway, leaving fresh tire marks ass it skid to a halt. A Suzuki SV650 he observed, not bad. There were two figures on the bike. A boy and a girl, probably around his age, both looking completely non-threatening. This is who they were sending out to handle drug deals?

Whoever they were, they definitely got attention from mullet and baldy. The two men stopped their bickering and turned to the strangers, curious yet angry glances crossing their faces. The girl took off her helmet first, she had kinky black hair and a small waist, she looked as though she couldn't even hurt a fly. The boy was next, he had similar dark hair to the girl, but he didn't look anywhere near as confident as her. The young woman stood tall, even though she was probably only five foot three. Baldy and mullet towered over her, but she didn't look scared nor intimidated.

"You over eighteen?" Mullet asked, the girl didn't move or react. The man's expression turned sour. "Hey, bitch! I was talking to you!"

The man's barking didn't seem to affect the girl, she was clearly on a mission, and she wasn't going to back down until she got what she came for.

"Tell me where I can find your supplier." She said bluntly.

Both of the men's eyes widen, they give the two strangers curious looks. Baldy smiles.

"Look, sweetheart, we don't want any trouble." Baldy's voice is a warning, a warning that falls deaf on the girl's ears. "If you wanted something, I can-"

"I'm not a customer." She spits. She must be new at this.

Baldy's smiles immediately fell away after hearing that. He pulls something out of his pocket, something that gleams in the low light of the alleyway.

"Look bitch," The man seethes. "Either buy something or get the fuck out of my alley."

The girl seemed unfazed by the fact that the man had just pulled out a blade, the boy on the other hand visibly flinched. The flinch was small, but just big enough to get the dealer's attention.

"What about you pretty boy?" Baldy taunted, pointing at the young man with the tip of his blade. "You gonna get out of my alley?"

"We know that there's more than just weed in that bag." The girl spoke up. "We know you're selling Heartless."

From his hiding spot, the young man went still. Heartless? What the hell was that? Based on the way the two drug dealers flinched, they obviously knew what the young lady was talking about. Mullet and baldy's faces contorted into something resembling an unmistakeable blinding rage.

"How dare you accuse me of selling that!" The bald man thundered, he raised the hand with the knife in it, but the girl caught his wrist midair.

The young girl twisted the man's hand, forcing him to drop the weapon. The boy quickly picked up the blade before baldy or mullet could get to it and took a step back. He was obviously not the fighter in this duo. The bald man lunged for the young girl again, and she swiftly evaded him before kneeing him where the sun didn't shine, hard. Baldy cursed at her loudly, she watched him as he fell to the ground.

She made the mistake of not making sure the other man had fled. Mullet grabbed her from behind, picking the small girl up off the floor, her little legs kicking angrily. The boy held up the knife threateningly, but the look on his face made it obvious that he was completely terrified. The crippled bald man regained his stance, smiling wickedly at the two teenagers. This was the opportunity that the young man had been waiting for.

Taking a deep breath, the young man stood up from his hiding spot, gripping the barrel of a pretty little toy in his hands. His finger rested on the trigger and he could hear the bullets rattling in the magazine. There was a certain amount of confidence in the way he walked, it was like he had a purpose. He pointed the weapon at its target.

"Hey, fuckers!" He yelled.

Everyone turned to look at him. Baldy and mullet looked at him in annoyance, the girl remained expressionless, while the boy holding the knife was visibly trembling.

"Drop the girl." He said calmly.

Baldy and mullet smirked at one another, letting out a small, maniacal laugh.

"Drop her and leave the drugs, or I shoot." He threatened.

"Get out of here, boy." Mullet spat, lunging forward.

Bang. The bullet barely missed the man. A shocked expression crossed his face, he looked terrified.

"Get the fuck outta here." He demanded.

Mullet didn't need to be told twice, he dropped the young lady, revved up his motorbike and sped out of the alleyway before the young man could even blink. He then turned his attention back to baldy. The man's hard expression turned soft as he slowly backed away from the scene, his hands raised. The young man cocked his head, his finger still resting on the trigger. He watched as the bald man abandoned his drugs and sped off down the street.

"You guys alright?" The young man asked, slipping his gun back into its holster.

"Yes, thank you." The girl chided gratefully.

"Dammit!" The curse echoed through the alleyway.

The young man turned to see the strange boy looking through the bald man's discarded bag. The bag was filled with all the usual suspects, weed, cocaine, a few syringes. There was several thousand dollars worth of drugs in that bag, but he didn't have something that the boy and girl were looking for.

"He didn't have Heartless." The boy explained, looking completely defeated.

The girl rolled her eyes in annoyance. Judging by the dark circles under her eyes, it was obvious that she was exhausted, the two had probably been trying to track down these criminals all night. The young man raised an eyebrow at the two.

"Heartless?" He inquired.

"It's classified." The dark haired girl quickly explained. "Thank you again, not many people jump in when they see this type of stuff."

"I find that disgusting." The young man told her. "The crime rate wouldn't be so high if people actually got up off their asses."

The raven haired girl smiled, clearly impressed by his words. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small white card, it was blank save for a name and a phone number.

"If you're interested in busting druggies, and possibly bigger crimes, call us." She offered, a gracious smile crossing her face.

The young man shook his head.

"Kind of a lone wolf," He explained. "Don't really work well with others."

The young man tried to hand the card back to the girl, but she refused.

"Think about it," It was the boy's turn to speak. His smile was warm and welcoming, as though he had already known the young man for a long time. "And give us a call. We have a big group, and we're always looking for more people."

"Thanks," The young man replied, shoving the card into his pocket. "I should get going now."

"Us too," The girl replied. "I hope our paths cross again."

She held out her hand to shake, which the young man politely took.

"I'm Kayla, by the way," She told him. "And that's Will."

"Talon." The young man replied with a coy smile.

And then he turned and left the two standing in the alleyway, vanishing like smoke in the wind. The young man walked a few blocks, carefully avoiding the stumbling drunks and broken beer bottles. He could hear the distant sound of EDM pounding through the speakers of a nightclub, he could hear the happy sounds of people, enjoying their night. The bitter night air carried the smell of smoke and gasoline, the sudden chill caused the young man to wrap his jacket tighter around his body. It was cold, he was tired, and in desperate need of a drink. He planned on collapsing the second he got home. If he made it home at least. He wandered into another alleyway, where three shadowy figures stood waiting for him in the dark. One was bald, one had a mullet, and the other was tall and slender.

"Did ya at least get the drugs back?" Mullet slurred.

The young man shook his head, a sinister grin growing on his face.

"At least the plan worked." He replied, pulling the card out of his back pocket.

"I paid good money for that shit," Baldy sneered. "Get them back for me!"

"I'll try." The young man rolled his eyes.

"Those stupid little kids who think they heroes ain't gonna know what hit 'em!" Mullet remarked with a cold laugh.

The young man's smile started fading as he replayed the encounter in his head. They weren't out for just a simple drug bust, they had been looking for something.

"They said something about Heartless, what's that?" Talon inquired.

The two men went stiff. That's when the third figure decided to step forward.

"That's not important now." The man's voice was raspy. "Talon, you know what to do next."

The young man nodded slowly. He had successfully deceived his target, now it was time to infiltrate.

He looked up at the tall man, a maniacal grin plastered on his face. "Yes, Uncle."

 **-Chapter 1-**

Well. I've written worse. I'm going to make things as watered down as I possibly can, but it's really hard to keep this T. It probably is, right now, not rated T. If I do decide to add more sin to this au then it will be posted separately so that people who don't want to read smut don't have to.

I have an entire aesthetics board on my Pinterest for this fan fic. If you want to see it, my Pinterest name is the same as my pen name. ihateyoutothemoonandback no spaces, my icon is lime green and says "you clod" on it. The board is entitled, Vigilante. Let me know if you have trouble finding it.

I can't post a link to the playlist I created, so I'll just give you guys the songs. I might add more songs later if I think of them, or if anyone has suggestions. Warning, most of these are from Suicide Squad.

Heathens - Twenty One Pilots  
You Don't Own Me - Grace (the radio mix, not the version with G-Easy)  
Monster - Kanye West  
Aint No Rest For The Wicked - Cage The Elephant  
Sucker For Pain - Lil Wayne  
Gangsta - Kehlani  
Needed Me - Rihanna  
Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Lorde  
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chilli Peppers  
In A World Possessed By The Human Mind - The Tragically Hip  
Way Down We Go - Kaleo  
Mad World - Jasmine Thompson  
The song from The Girl on The Train trailer that I can't find anywhere :(

I'm really into this au if you can't tell. I just love stuff like this. We meet vigilante Penny in the next chapter! If/When I actually get around to writing it.


	2. Cruel

Cruel

 _"Have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?" -Laini Taylor_

I tried so hard to put the link to my Pinterest in my profile, and even then I don't think it works. I'm trying. I didn't realize that so many people on Pinterest had variations of "I hate you to the moon and back" so, yeah, it's not that easy to find... Keep trying to find it, just type "hateyou2themoon" in the little Pinterest search bar. If you still can't find it, then let me know. I created an entire board for this fanfiction and I really want to show it off :(

Anyways, I hope that you like this chapter, I had a lot of fun writing it!

 **-Enjoy!-**

He waited three days before calling the number the girl had given him. He had decided that was enough time for one to think about the offer. If he had only waited two days he might seem too eager, if he had waited four days then he might seem uninterested. He decided to call from a payphone, he couldn't risk using his cell phone and someone tracing the call. The sound of loose change jingled in his pocket as he inserted the appropriate amount of quarters into the pay slot. The long beeping noise of the phone rang in his ear as he waited patiently for someone to pick up. He silently wondered if the girl had given him the wrong number. Maybe she had been on to him, maybe she was trying to throw him off?

"Hello?" A smooth voice spoke on the other end of the line.

Guess not. The voice was female, but not as high-pitched as Kayla's had been.

"Hi," He replied. "Is this Kayla?"

"Kayla isn't here right now, can I leave a message?" The voice asked.

Talon leaned against the phone box, twirling the thick cord around his finger.

"I met her the other day," Talon answered. "I've thought about her offer, and I'd like to take it."

There was only silence from the other end of the phone line. The girl hadn't responded in a while, he wondered if their call had dropped, or maybe she had hung up on him. But he did not hear the dial tone to indicate that his call had ended. He wondered if he should speak, if he should ask if she was still there. But he didn't need to.

"Meet me at the corner of James Street and Church in twenty minutes." The female voice stated before the call went dead.

Talon stood in the phone booth for a moment, the receiver still at his ear. James Street and Church? Was that where their hideout was? No, it couldn't be. Some girl he didn't know wouldn't reveal a secret location over the phone. She wouldn't risk the call being overheard or intercepted. He slowly hung up the phone and stepped out of the booth, the cool evening breeze picked up around him. The sun hadn't quite set yet, the sky was slowly turning from blue to purple. He shoved his hands in his pockets for warmth as he walked down the sidewalk to where he had parked his bike, the fallen yellow leaves crunching beneath his feet. It was still early in October and already the air had a bite to it, it was promising to be a cold winter. He revved up the motor on his bike, the sound howling in the wind as he sped off down the road. He went faster than the legal speed limit, but Harleys weren't exactly made for following the law. He had to make it to the agreed meeting place quickly, it was rude to keep a lady waiting.

The meeting place was just passed the church. It was an elegant place, old and made of stone with stained glass windows lining the sides. Three teenagers sat on the stone steps in front of the church, and they definitely weren't there for Sunday school. One of them had a can of pop hanging out of his pocket, the fact that there was no condensation on the can was a clear indication that there was weed inside. Funny how a place can look so beautiful and perfect, but be disgusting underneath the surface. People deny the disgusting, pretend the revolting isn't there. They choose to see perfect where it doesn't exist. Talon parked his bike by the entrance to the alleyway. He could hear the sounds of the church bells chiming, breaking the silence of twilight as they ring out into the air. From where he was standing he noticed something move in the alleyway. The shadow seemed to dance and sway, the figure was graceful and enchanting.

"Hello?" He called, his voice reverberating off the brick walls.

"Hello." The figure replied. There was a pregnant pause between them before the figure motioned for him to move closer. "I don't bite."

Talon carefully stepped into the alleyway, every step was taken with extreme caution. He didn't know the dark figure beckoning him into an alleyway, but he was going to have to trust her. Or at least, he was going to pretend to trust her. The figure became clearer the closer he got, shadowy features became blue eyes and fair skin. It was a girl, leaning against a motorbike, her blonde hair tied back into a ponytail. Her clothes were all black save for a red leather jacket, and she had a silver locket dangling from her neck. She had a line of freckles across her nose and three metal studs in her left ear. Although the alleyway was dark, Talon could tell that she was a pretty girl. On the outside, she looked like an angel, but she had a bit of the devil in her icy blue eyes. She looked at him with a tight-lipped frown, her face devoid of any emotions. She didn't seem kind nor welcoming.

"Talon," The man introduced himself. "And you are?"

He held out his hand, expecting her to shake it. She didn't.

"I am going to be late if you don't get your pretty little ass on that bike." She told him, starting the engine on her motorcycle. The vehicle roars loudly as she straps on her helmet. "Think you can keep up?"

Could he keep up? He wanted to laugh. The real question was could she keep up with him, but he wasn't going to say anything.

"You bet my pretty little ass I can, princess." He scoffed.

The girl rolled her eyes and sped up and out of the alley, leaving Talon standing in a cloud of fumes. Without a second thought, he quickly jumped on his bike and sped after the girl. She had definitely surprised him with her speed. She was fast, faster than any girl that he had ever seen before. He trailed behind her, watching her ponytail dance in the wind under her helmet. She looked determined and free on that bike, like there was something she wanted to accomplish. She was odd this one, she hadn't even told him her name. But she was smart. If he turned out to be untrustworthy, at least he couldn't use a name to track her down. She wore a mysterious smile as she drove down the road, filled with a sense of independence. There was something in the way she moved that made him want to follow, made him want to be where this girl was. She made a sharp turn, speeding up as she drove down the deserted street. It was getting much darker, and the streetlights were the only things lighting up the street.

The girl skid to a stop in front of an abandoned building, her tires leaving scuff marks on the pavement. Her engine hummed for a moment before she turned it off, leaving her bike by the side of the building. She took off her helmet, freeing her hair from the constraints of her helmet. Her golden hair seemed to glow like a halo under the streetlights.

"This is your base of operations?" Talon asked, parking his bike next to her's.

"For now," She replied. "We go to a new location every week, so it's not like you seeing this will matter."

She sauntered away without another word. As much as he wanted to talk to her and find out more about the organization, he knew that now wasn't the time. Whoever this girl was, she was making it fairly clear that she didn't trust him. Why would she? He was a stranger that she met in an alleyway. He followed her up the concrete steps to a large door, closed and secured with a large padlock. She pulls a ring of keys from her back pocket, they jingle and chime as she searches for the correct key. When she inserts the key into the lock, it opens with a tick and the padlock falls away. The door creaks as she opens it, revealing a dimly lit hallway lined with doors.

"Come with me," She beckons, making her way down the ominous hallway. "The chief will see you now."

He followed behind her, watching her hips sway with every movement she made. In the shadowy alleyway, he couldn't tell, but now he could clearly see how nice this girl's figure was. Her skin looked soft and delicate like she was made of glass. The look in her eyes was focused and methodical, as though she was always searching for something. He could tell that she was smart. Clever as the Devil, except prettier. She stopped in front of a heavy steel door, a door that slid open to reveal an office. The office was rather plain, the walls weren't painted and the floor was concrete. All that there was in the office was a couple of chairs, a large computer, and a long desk. And sitting at that desk was a short, round man with a moustache. The man at the desk looked between him and the girl when they walked in and rose to meet them.

"Hello," The man greeted, offering Talon his hand to shake. "You are the young man who helped Kayla and Will?"

"I am," Talon replied, politely shaking the man's hand. "I'm glad they weren't injured."

"As am I," The man nodded. "We are lucky you came along when you did, thank you for stepping in."

Talon smiled, he knew exactly how to trick people into getting what he wanted, it was a mastered skill.

"I've seen too many people get hurt or lose their lives in this city," It almost scared him what a great liar he was. "I could never live with myself if I saw something happen and just walked away."

Talon hoped that he had done a good job of convincing this man that he was trustworthy, a practiced speech could only take him so far. The man nodded again, he seemed rather impressed. Talon sneaked a quick glance at the girl standing next to him, her face was still emotionless. She was going to be a challenge, but he could get her to trust him.

"Well, I feel that I must offer a job to a man this passionate about justice." The man told him. "What do you say? Would you like to work with us?"

"It would be an honour, sir." Talon smirked.

The man nodded once more and turned to the blonde girl.

"Penny, he will be your new partner." The man announced.

The girl next to him immediately stiffened. Her eyes widened in horror and her mouth fell open.

"What?" She exclaimed.

Penny. Her name was Penny.

"Chief Quimby, I am not babysitting this adrenaline junkie!" She exclaimed.

Talon raised an eyebrow at the girl, he knew that she was going to be hard to convince, but maybe being her partner would allow him to trick her. He could make her believe that he was trustworthy, and then she could give him all the information that he needed.

"You will learn to work with him." Chief Quimby demanded. "This could be a good thing for you."

This girl wasn't having one second of this. But at the same time, she knew that she couldn't argue. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the office. Talon quickly smiled and thanked the man again before following the blonde out. She was fastening her helmet on her head when he caught up with her. She narrowed her eyes at him, looking as though she were about to run over him with her bike.

"Meet me back here tomorrow, five pm sharp," She told him flatly, revving up her motor. "If you are a minute late I leave without you."

Then she sped off, vanishing into a plume of smoke in the early evening sky.

 **-End of Chapter 2-**

Literally what even is this chapter? It's so damn short. I'm not used to writing things this short... Sigh... I'm really fucking stressed guys. I really don't wanna write my essay. Or my research paper. Or my other essay. Any of you in Uni yet? You get used to having so many things to do at once. I just hope that I can get everything done before Halloween, I'm going to be Wonder Woman. It's kinda weird how empowering it is to wear a superhero costume, kinda like you're invincible. Always wear your invisible cape with your invisible crown.

Also, adding these songs to the playlist:  
Wolf in Sheep's Clothing by Set It Off  
Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes  
Youth Without Youth by Metric  
Psycho by Muse

In the next chapter (if/when i actually get around to writing it) our two vigilantes will go on their first mission together.

See you then, lovelies!


	3. Vicious

Vicious

 _"The city looks so pretty, do you wanna burn it with me?" -City by Hollywood Undead_

I finished one of my three essays. Yay! Almost done my first semester already? Goddamn. I hope that you like chapter three of Heartless.

Also, adding these songs to the playlist:

Youth by Daughters (mostly for the line "If you're still breathing you're the lucky ones, cuz most of us are breathing through corrupted lungs")  
People Help The People by Birdy

I forgot to mention in the last chapter, I don't promote illegal drug use. Don't do drugs. Always be responsible, promise? Kay, good. I hope that you like chapter three of Heartless.

 **-Enjoy!-**

His uncle had not returned when he got home that night and had not been home the following morning. Talon had made breakfast for himself in the apartment they lived in and fed the fat grey cat that seemed to always be two steps behind him. It was late in the afternoon, just before Talon had promised to meet his new partner, that his uncle stumbled through the door. The older man staggered into the room and slumped on the couch, holding his head as though fighting a migraine. He turned on the television, a fuzzy picture of a silver-haired newscaster appeared on the screen. The mugshots of two bank robbers were on display, two faces that Talon had known fairly well. Earlier that day they had been sent out to steal from the city's private safe, but they were apprehended by vigilantes. The so-called heroes obviously didn't wait around very long, they were gone by the time the cops showed up. Talon rolled his eyes and turned away from the screen, grabbing his black leather jacket off its hook by the front door.

"Those pests." He heard his uncle mutter.

"And I have to go meet one tonight." Talon groaned.

His uncle didn't move from his spot on the couch, he didn't even turn to look at him. Talon grabbed his keys, shoving them into his jacket pocket along with his wallet. He wasn't sure how to feel about this. The girl that he was going to meet tonight had made it clear that she didn't trust him, the feeling was mutual. However, she probably knew a lot about the organisation, and whatever this Heartless thing was. If he was going to get information out of her, she had to make her trust him.

"There's a war out there kid," He heard his uncle mutter. "Make sure you're on the winning side."

Even though his uncle wasn't looking, he nodded. The young man let the door slam behind him, he didn't care if anyone heard. The air was beginning to grow cold and the sun was starting to set earlier. The city was drenched in the last few rays of sunlight, the autumn sky a warm orange colour. He mounted his motorbike, letting the motor rev for a minute before setting off into the city. The streets were filled with people, some traveling in large groups, just trying to get by. Most stood waiting for buses or cars, some were heading underground to the subway station. All around him the city began to turn on its lights, billboards and shops were illuminated with bright shades of neon. The night was just beginning. He sped up a little bit, cutting through an alleyway as a shortcut. Nearly five and he didn't want to keep the princess waiting. The city seemed to go by in a blur. The lights and the people hardly registering as he sped down the busy streets. He arrived at the meeting place a bit early, but the blonde still scowled at him.

"You're late." She grimaced, leaning against her bike.

Talon glanced down at his watch and then back up at the blonde.

"You said five." He told her, raising an eyebrow curiously.

The blonde shrugged him off, not bothering to reply to him.

"We're heading to Winchester Park," She informed him, her face completely monotone.

This girl hadn't so much as cracked a smile since he's met her. In fact, the only emotion the girl seems to have is displeasure. Talon began to imagine what the girl would look like if she smiled. She would be radiant if she smiled. She was pretty, her skin was cold and pale, her lips as red as blood, secrets hiding in her sunken eyes. She had smoke in her lungs and poison running through her veins, she was lethal. He wondered what could have possibly happened to make her smile go away, what was it that made her vicious?

"Rumor has it someone over there has been selling Heartless." She continues, strapping on her helmet.

The girl mounted her bike and started the engine, the motor letting out a loud howl as she did. The girl looked at him expectantly, as though she was waiting for something. Talon only looked at her, puzzled. The girl rolled her eyes and drove off before Talon could say anything. She seemed to like driving off on him. Talon quickly followed after her, speeding down the mostly empty road. Rush hour was over and traffic had died down significantly, Talon could drive as fast as he wanted, which he loved. He loved the feeling of the wind whipping at his face, it gave him a sense of freedom, something his uncle never let him have. The blonde speeding alongside him was smiling, he had never seen her smile. She looked happy and free, the wind whipping through her long hair. The park was empty when they got there, an endless realm of shadows in the dark of night. The streetlights gave a dim glow, bathing everything in yellow. Penny parked her bike and left it by a tree, said that she didn't feel like paying for parking.

The park was empty when they got there, an endless realm of shadows in the dark of night. The leaves on the trees were yellow, most of them lying dead and withered on the grass. The night air was cold, enough to make Talon wish that he'd brought a warmer jacket. The streetlights gave a dim glow, bathing everything in yellow. Penny parked her bike and left it by a tree, said that she didn't feel like paying for parking. She led him to a park bench under the glow of a streetlight, taking a seat and pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

"You smoke?" Talon inquired, sitting next to her.

"No," She replied, handing him a cigarette. "We have to look like normal people, what else would we be doing at a park in this weather?"

She had a point. Nobody would be at the park for fun after dark, especially with the temperature dropping. Nobody would think twice if they saw two people smoking in a park. He put the cigarette between his teeth, but didn't light it. He wasn't big on cigarettes, didn't like the taste. He knew that there were better things to smoke. Thanks to his Uncle's crime syndicate he could get the good stuff. However, he should probably abstain from drugs for the next little while. Just in case this Penny girl makes him take a drug test. A few painfully awkward minutes passed. Occasionally, he would look over at Penny, who was looking anywhere but in his direction. He wondered if he should say something. The nicer he was to this girl, the more he could lure her into a false sense of trust. But he didn't know what to say. Only one thing was on his mind, their mission. They were supposed to find something, but he still didn't know what it was.

"What is Heartless?" Talon eventually asked.

Penny looked at him, twirling the unlit cigarette between her fingers.

"Nobody told you?" She inquired.

Talon shook his head.

"It's a new black market drug," She explained. "Nobody knows what it is or how it works, but it's lethal."

Talon tried to remember if his uncle had ever mentioned Heartless, but he couldn't. His uncle ran the biggest crime ring in the city, how was it that he didn't know about this Heartless?

"All we know," Penny continued. "Is that a few weeks ago a large group of people turned up dead, all because of this drug. According to witnesses, they had been acting erratically in the days leading up to their deaths. Afterwards, the autopsies revealed severe brain damage, a lack of white blood cells, even heart failure. On people who had been completely fine and healthy. This is more than just overdose, this drug does things."

"Has anyone found Heartless?" Talon asked.

"Not yet." Penny shook her head.

Another long silence passed between them. Seconds ticked by that felt painfully long. It felt like entire days had passed since they sat down on that bench. He wanted to talk to her, to ask her something. But he couldn't figure out how to make conversation with this girl. She wasn't exactly the easiest to talk to, and she wasn't going to open up to him. The only thing that he could think of was to keep asking her about Heartless, even though she didn't know much.

"What do you do with the drugs you confiscate?" He asked curiously. Obviously, they weren't smoking them. Unless they were. But Penny didn't seem like the type to do drugs.

There was something about her that seemed pure. She looked so innocent, but Talon knew that things were never quite the way they appeared. She looked delicate and pretty, but in a violent way. An angel from heaven with the power to raise hell.

"Throw them out." Her response almost made him choke. Why would a secret underground agency throw away perfectly good drugs? He couldn't fathom it.

There was a cold look on her face, she pressed her lips together around the unlit cigarette, a ring of red lipstick leaving its mark on the bunt.

"You really hate drugs." Talon assumed.

The blonde nodded. "I've seen drugs destroy too many lives."

That sounded curious. He knew that she didn't trust him, and if he pried then he would only add to that distrust. He wouldn't make her tell him anything, not yet anyways. He had to get her to trust him, had to get her to let her guard down.

"Care to elaborate?" Talon inquired.

"No." She replied flatly.

Another silence, this was getting annoying. But he had to get her to open up. He had to at least try asking her one more question, maybe something not as personal, maybe she won't act so cold.

"What made you want to do this?" He tried.

Penny looked like she might rebuff him again, but instead she stared at him with a tight lipped frown on her face. There was something in her eyes that he couldn't quite place. Something almost melancholy in a sense, almost as though she was remembering something. There was something so curious about this girl, something very peculiar. Talon watched her as she tossed the unlit cigarette on the ground and crushed it beneath her foot.

"It was because of someone very close to me." She told him. "He told me that we need to fight because no one else will."

She looks down and Talon swore he saw the tiniest hint of a smile cross her face before vanishing. Good, this is good. She was opening up, slowly letting her guard down. But she wasn't leaving herself completely vulnerable. Yet.

Talon decided to take a chance and ask her another question. "Where is this person now?"

"I don't know," Penny replied, she kicked the grass beneath her feet, sending tiny blades of grass dancing in the twilight air. "He disappeared a few months ago, haven't heard from him since."

Talon wanted to ask her more questions, he wanted to know who this person was. Maybe they knew about this new mystery drug. Maybe they had valuable information that could shut down this band of underground crime fighters. But all thoughts of continuing their conversation were drowned out when they heard a high pitched scream. The scream was female, coming from a nearby alleyway. That was never a good sign.

Penny was on her feet in a second, scrambling to put on her helmet and start her bike. She looked to where the sound of the screaming had come from, watching the shadows for movement. Talon watched her in confusion.

"What are you doing?" He asked her. "We're supposed to wait here in case the drug dealers show up."

"And if some poor girl dies because I was waiting for drugs, I'll never sleep well at night again." Penny replied, narrowing her eyes at Talon.

And then she was gone, she sped off into the busy night streets, going after the sound of the screaming woman. It shouldn't have surprised him that she abandoned their mission. She had been looking for an excuse to leave since they got there. He watched her fade into a cloud of smoke, into a night of endless shadows. Half of his brain told him to go home. But the other half whispered to follow. He needed a good reputation with the agency in order to collect intel on them, and he couldn't do that if he abandoned his partner and let her get killed on their first mission.

With a long sigh, Talon mounted his bike and took off after her.

 **-End of chapter 3-**

These keep getting shorter and shorter. Honestly, I don't know what wrong with me... This might get really fucking sad, just a warning. Might even trigger some people.I have depression. I have suffered from depression most of my life but it started getting really bad when I turned seventeen. Seventeen was an awful year, I felt like there was so much pressure for me to do well in school and get into a good college. I picked the program my parents wanted me to pick (Don't do this kids, it will only lead to unhappiness) and I hate it. I wish that I was happier but I am not. And maybe that's just what these years are all about. And I have gotten better since seventeen. Seventeen is confusing and stressful and weird and honestly every little thing just feels like your whole life is ended. But I got passed that, I graduated with honours and now I attend uni on scholarship. I know that one day I'll be happier, but that day is not today. And I can't wait for that day to come.

If any of you ever feel like you have no one to talk to but you need to get feelings out, my PM box is always open. And if you don't feel comfortable confiding in me, I will leave hotline numbers below.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255  
Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868  
Teen Line: 310-855-4673  
Suicide US: 1-800-784-8433  
Suicide UK: +44 (0) 8457 90 90 90  
Suicide Australia: 13 11 14  
Suicide Germany: 0800 111 0 111  
Suicide China: 0800 810 1117  
Bullying: 1-800-420-1479  
Self Harm: 914-392-1904  
Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743  
Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438  
Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673  
Greif Support: 1-650-321-3438  
Runaway: 1-800-843-5200  
Depression: 1-630-482-9696  
Abuse: 1-800-799-7233  
Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 (helping LGBT youth)

I'm going to put the list in my profile as well, got to help as many people as possible!

Don't worry about me though, I'll be okay. I just need to take a minute and remind myself that everything is going to be alright.

Remember that everything gets better with time :) You're going to be okay.


	4. Lawless

Lawless

 _"Once upon a time_ , _a little girl was raised by monsters. But angels burned the doorways to their world, and she was all alone." -Laini Taylor_

I finished my first semester! Now it's time to endlessly job hunt... I need another job because minimum wage is only 11.40 an hour and my apartment rent is 900 a month (which is really cheap for this city), and that doesn't include water electric and heating, and food is expensive and my tuition is like 2000 per semester and that is WITH student financial assistance and my scholarship...

Send help and chicken nuggets.

SkierSwimmer, the link doesn't work and I can't find your playlist. Maybe there's another way I could find it?

Warning, this chapter contains assault.

Also, adding this to the playlist:  
The Runner and The Lover by Former Vandal (the line "every devil that i've ever loved looked just like a saint" is just too perfect)

 **-Enjoy!-**

It wasn't hard to find the source of the screaming. It came from a back alley, just behind a fast food restaurant. From where they stood, Talon and Penny could see two shadows in the darkness. One small frame, belonging to a young woman, was thrashing and kicking in the arms of the second shadow. The woman was frail and her outfit left little to the imagination. Anyone with two working eyes could deduce that she was a hooker. The second shadow gripped the young woman, hands violating her skin. The man wasn't too large, but definitely bigger than both Talon and Penny. And they were planning to fight him. Talon looked over to Penny for a signal, he could see the blonde's blood boiling inside her veins. Her face had gone completely red and her entire body shook with an uncontrollable rage.

"Hey!" She shouted, the word boomed and echoed in the alley as the blonde made her presence known.

The large man turned his head to look at Penny, his grip tightened on the young lady in his arms. From where he stood, Talon could see the tears staining her cheeks and a large bloody gash on her forehead. The woman's shirt was ripped open, exposing most of her chest. It was obvious what was going on here.

"Put her down." Penny demanded, she stepped towards the man with a certain confidence unmatched by anything that Talon had ever seen before.

Penny wasn't tall, but her confidence made five feet feel like fifty. The large man towered over her, but Penny didn't cower or flinch. Her face stayed stoic and cold as she glared up at the man.

"Did you not hear me?" She inquired. "I told you to put that girl down."

The next few seconds seemed to happen in slow motion. The large man violently threw the young lady down, her body hitting the brick wall as she fell to the ground. The man lunged at Penny, who quickly grabbed his arm and flung herself forward, using the momentum to twist his limb, a loud crack echoed in the alley way. The man hunched over and held his arm, crying out in pain. Penny didn't care about his injuries and sent a swift kick to the back of the man's knee, causing them to buckle and he fell to the ground.

Talon stood frozen for a moment. He had just watched a tiny girl who couldn't have weighed more than a hundred pounds take down a man twice her size. It was only when he heard the young woman's wimpering that he was brought back to reality. If he were with his uncle, he would have left the young woman alone, but he needed to look nice in front of Penny. So he knelt down next to the young woman, who was still crying and bleeding on the ground.

"Are you alright?" He asked in his best 'nice guy' voice. "Did you break something?"

The woman shook her head and tried to stand, stumbling for a moment before grabbing Talon's arm. He wasn't sure of what to do. Should he call her a taxi? An ambulance? He looked over at Penny for an answer, but she was still standing over the man, it was clear that she wasn't done with him yet. Although the man could do nothing but writhe in pain, Penny still glared at him, the look in her eyes screaming to kill. She grabbed the man's hair and forced him to look up at her, his sunken eyes were wide with fear.

"Why?" That one word passed her pink lips and seemed to strike nothing but fear into that man's heart.

The man avoiding the blonde's eyes, as though suddenly ashamed of what he had done.

"She refused me." The man whispered.

Penny glared at him, her blue eyes had never been so cold. It was clear to Talon that this girl wasn't soft and delicate. This girl was dangerous.

"Fucking disgusting." She spat before shoving him back down.

The man let out another loud groan, but Penny didn't stay around to beat him up more. Instead, the blonde turned and walked away, leaving Talon by himself in the alley. He watched her figure, her features becoming blurry as she retreated. She stopped at the street and looked back at him for a moment, her glare still hard and rigid. He was confused as to what had come over her. It was like a switch had gone off in her head, something primal had come out of her. She became something lethal. But why waste the energy on one guy? Talon looked down at the woman, her tears had stopped but her breathing was still sporadic.

"I'll call you a cab." He told her, gently escorting her out of the alley. "Do you have enough to get home?"

The woman thanked him, and a few minutes later an orange taxi took her away. He looked at Penny, who still had that stoic look on her face. She didn't say anything to him, and he wasn't sure what to say to her. Something had triggered her to act the way that she did, but what?

"Are you alright?" He asked hesitantly.

"Peachy." She replied coldly.

Talon stuck his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, unsure of what he should say next. He didn't know her very well yet. If he was going to earn her trust, then he had to play nice.

"You nearly broke that guy's arm." Talon commented.

"I don't care!" Penny yelled defensively. "He doesn't have the right to touch a girl without consent, no one does!"

Talon wasn't okay with the situation either, he didn't believe that women were playthings, he wasn't raised like that. He may have been a criminal, but even he had his limits.

"Nobody deserves to be treated that way." She whispered. "I don't care that she was a hooker, no one deserves to be assaulted."

Penny shifted awkwardly and began twisting the bracelet on her wrist. Talon observed every movement she made, taking note of her habits and mannerisms. The way her hands were always moving, and her content glare that made her look like she was searching for a fight. He took in every part of her being, from the ammount of freckles littered across her cheeks, to the tiny scar on her forehead. Part of defeating one's enemy was observation, finding out what makes them tick. That's when he noticed something small just below her bracelet, something tiny and black and etched into her skin. A tiny picture of a blade on her wrist.

"Nice tattoo." Penny went rigid as he spoke.

She immediately pulled her sleeve down to cover the tattoo. She looked panicked for a moment, her eyes going wide for a split second before reverting back to their normal state. One tiny tattoo of a knife drilled permanently into her skin. A reminder.

"What does it mean?" Talon asked.

His uncle had several tattoos like hers. He already knew exactly what it meant.

"I don't want to talk about it." Penny snapped.

If he wasn't trying to earn her trust, he would have pestered her about it. How old was she when it happened? Did she know the person? Was it self-defense or an accident? She didn't look like the type to murder someone in cold blood, or maybe she was. Talon wanted to laugh at the thought. How could a little girl, one that looked about as threatening as a cheerleader, ever have the heart to kill? He had definitely seen a completely different side of her tonight, a side to a girl made of sugar and spice and things not so nice. An angel with the heart of a demon.

One knife. One kill.

He should be jealous, he didn't have any tattoos like that. If she had killed before, that definitely meant that she was not someone to mess around with. She hangs her head, her teeth grind together angrily. She's tense and still. Her silence is so violent that it tears into the air around them and sends them flying in a storm.

"I'm going home." She tells him, hopping on her bike.

She turns back to look at him, her face void of feeling. He had to admit, she was a strong girl. He had to admire her for that. But everyone has a weakness, even the girl with a concrete wall protecting her heart.

"I'll contact you when our next assignment comes in." She informed him coldly.

And then she sped off down the street, disappearing into a cloud of exhaust and leaving Talon alone on the street corner. Above him, a yellow streetlight flickered as the cold wind bit his face. He was cold, cold and tired.

His uncle was still in his armchair in front of the television by the time he got home. The glow of the TV was the only thing illuminating the room. There was an empty bottle of beer lay on the floor next to his feet and there was a distinctive odor of sweat in the stale air. He was flipping through channels aimlessly, the pictures didn't even properly pixelate on the screen before being immediately replaced with the next one. Talon hung up his jacket on the coat hanger and dropped his keys into the bowl by the door. Claw turned off the television and looked up at his nephew, motioning for the young man to sit next to him.

"Have you figured out anything about these... pests?" Claw spat out the word like venom on his tongue.

"Not much yet," Talon replied. "This girl they've assigned me to, she's strong."

Claw nodded subtly, almost too discreet for Talon to notice.

"I watched her take down a man twice her size," Talon continued. "And she's killed at least one person, she has one of those knife tattoos. She doesn't really trust me right now."

"Smart girl." Claw interrupted. "She'll be a challenge, but you need to convince her to trust you."

Talon nodded. Instil the girl with false confidence, a sense of hope. Use her, find out her secrets, use them against her. Manipulate her, fashion her into the perfect pawn in a twisted game of lies. It was a damn shame to destroy something so pretty. She would have made a great criminal.

"When the time comes," Claw continued, standing up from his seat. "You know what to do."

Then he left, and Talon was left alone in the darkness.

 **-End of chapter 4-**

I hope that everyone had a good holiday and a happy new year.

The whole idea of having knife tattoos came from a book called Station Eleven, in which the characters get knife tattoos in memory of the victims they've killed. I thought it would be interesting to do this in this story. You might think that it is out of character for Penny to kill. But this is a darker Penny. A Penny who has been on the streets most of her life, a Penny who has witnessed crime and murder. It's not going to make her soft and delicate. This is a different Penny. A Penny who kills.

Also a little PSA, I've seen quite a few people in this fandom comparing these two to Harley Quinn and Joker in their writing, please don't do that. I know that most of the people in this fandom are a lot younger than me, so they probably don't understand the full extent of this problem. Joker and Harley are an unhealthy, abusive relationship that is meant to be seen as something unsettling and uncomfortable. It is not romantic, it is not cute. It is stockholm syndrome. Do not glorify mental illness. Do not glorify abusive relationships. I am speaking as someone who has experienced this first hand. Not all abuse is physical, it comes in many forms. It is important to know when something isn't healthy and shouldn't be normalized.

Alright, I hope y'all enjoyed, see you in the future.


End file.
